Tangled Webs
by way2beme
Summary: Raven is staying with Robin at Wayne Manor for the winter holidays. What could go wrong? Pairings WILL change, and (as you can tell) I suck at sumarries.
1. Arrival

Hey everybody. I had this idea a few days ago and I was so excited. I realize that first of all, Cyborg has no family (I think), and they probably don't celebrate Christmas on Tamaran, but just play along, okay?

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The Titans have gone separate ways for the holidays. Starfire has gone to Tamaran to celebrate with her family, and Cyborg and Beast Boy left for Cy's home last week. But enough about them. Our main focus is on Raven and Robin. Raven, having no family to go home to accepted Robin's offer to stay with him at Wayne Manor...

The black limousine pulled up in front of the large black gates of Wayne Manor. The gargoyles kept watch in the shadows and the windows seemed to have an iridescent shine to them. Robin looked out the window casually to search the manors outer décor for changes. Of course, there were none. Bruce never was one to redecorate. He turned his attention to the sleeping girl next to him. An open book lay in her lap, the fine black print half covered with her hand. The car stopped and Robin laid a hand on Raven's shoulder.

"Raven, we're here." He said. The empath opened her eyes sleepily to see Robin pointing out the window behind him. She moved her head forward so she could see past him. Her eyes grew slightly larger as she caught her first glimpse of the mansion. It made the Tower look like an apartment. She didn't take her eyes of it as she reached behind her, opened the door and got out. It looked nothing like she had imagined. Robin only grinned to himself. Wayne Manor seemed to have that effect on people.

As Raven looked up at the mansion a thought crossed her mind...

'This is going to be one interesting vacation...'

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That's chapter one. I'll be updating soon on this one. Trust me... 


	2. Social Events

A/N: I realize there is no lake at Wayne Manor.

''thoughts

""spoken words

* * *

The Next Morning... 

Sunlight of the rising sun streamed though the French doors of Ravens balcony. A ray fell on the sleeping Goths face and she cautiously opened an eye. Morning already? She lifted her head slightly and saw the radiance of the sunrise. She reached up to run her hand through her hand only to be reminded it was back in a loose bun. As quietly as she could, Raven slipped out of the bed, the sheets reluctantly slipping off her body. She unlocked the doors and slid them open...

Robin stepped onto his balcony, a bit ticked that the sun had so rudely awakened him. After he'd woken up he was unable to go back to sleep, so he'd pulled on a pair of baggy jeans and a Three Days Grace concert shirt. His ears caught a sound next to him and he curled his hand into a fist as he turned, ready to defending himself. The fist uncurled as he came to the realization that it was only Raven.

'What is she doing up so early?' he asked himself...

Raven sat on the railing of the balcony, unknowing that Robin's balcony was right next to hers. She swung her feet over the edge and let them dangle in the morning breeze.

'One day,' she thought to herself 'I'm going to share a sunrise just like this with the man I love...whoever he is.' She took a deep breath of the dew-scented air.

"Hey." Said a voice behind her. Raven jumped, lost her balance and fell onto the hard marble behind her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." Raven looked over to the direction of the voice. Robin was looking at her, eyebrow raised and an amused grin on his face. The wind blew some loose strands of hair into her face and she pushed them back as she rubbed the back of her head.

"It's fine," she replied. "So, do you always scare people this early? Should I be expecting this?"

"Nah, this is just a one time thing." He flashed a smile.

Raven smiled back. "Better be.' Raven got a devilish look on her face. "So, will we be having this rendezvous alone?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Rendezvous?"

Raven pushed herself up off the floor and turned to the French doors. "What else do people do early in the morning on balconies?" she asked as she re-entered her room. The door slid shut behind her.

"Who knows?" he whispered to himself and turned his attention back to the sunrise.

* * *

Raven was surprised at herself. She wasn't really one to flirt, but Robin just made it easy. She searched through her suitcase and pulled out a pair of jeans with red stitching, and a cream-colored sleeveless top. After she had changed, she turned to the door and saw a dress hanging from it. 'What the...' She threw open the French doors again and looked to see if Robin was still outside. He was. 

"Hey Robin?" she asked. Robin turned to the empath.

'Man she's cute. Wait, don't say that! She could be reading your mind!' "Yeah?" he asked.

"What's up with the dress in my room?"

"What? You didn't think you'd stay here and not participate in the social events did you?" he replied.

Ravens jaw dropped. "Social events?"

"You know, banquets and parties and stuff like that. Like the one tonight."

"And who exactly will be hosting these "social events"?"

"We will. Or possibly some of Bruce's friends."

"Uh-huh...and I'm...obligated to go?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, I'll be there."

"Be still my beating heart." Raven said sarcastically. Robin chuckled.

* * *

The evening had started with Raven had been late, not knowing when it started and been rushed when Robin surprised her at her door in a black tux, asking when she'd finally come down. 

"Judging by what you wearing, I guess you aren't even ready yet," he said nodding to her jeans and top. "Don't worry, I'll wait for you. Just...hurry. Okay?" Raven quickly shut the door.

The loud bangs coming from inside Raven's room were all he needed to hear to know she was going as fast as she could. He winced to a loud crash.

"Do I want to know!?" he called through the door.

"I don't think so," she called back. She looked into the mirror to see how she looked. The black dress was perfect and accentuated her features. It was missing something. A pair of her favorite chandelier earrings caught her eye and she out them on. 'Perfect.' Raven opened the door. "Ready," she said, smiling.

The two made their way down the grand staircase of the ballroom. When they reached the bottom, a waiter walked by with a tray of champagne. Robin reached out, grabbed two glasses and handed one to Raven.

"We should find Bruce and let him know we're here," stated Robin. Raven nodded and the two went into search mode.

"There he is." Raven said, and pointed across the room. She and Robin made their way across the enormous ballroom.

"Hey Bruce," said Robin. "Just wanted to let you know we're here now." The Bat turned and smiled.

"That's great." He eyed the champagne in Robin's hand and gave him a disapproving frown. "I see you found the champagne easily enough." Robin gave a nervous chuckle and Bruce sweat-dropped. "I'll see you two later."

"Okay," replied Robin as Bruce walked off.

"Hello Richard!" said a voice behind them. Robin gulped.

"Oh no..." he whispered and bit his lip. He and Raven turned to see a fair brunette in a white dress smiling deviously at them.

"What have you been up to lately?" the girl asked.

"Not much. Have you met Raven?" he shot back.

"No, I haven't."

"Raven," Robin turned to the empath. "This is Catherine."

"Hi." Catherine said coldly. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Raven replied in an equally cold tone.

Catherine turned to Robin. "So Richard, what are you doing this summer?"

"Don't know yet. Frankly, I don't really care. Probably staying with some friends. Raven will probably be going too," he answered.

"Oh," she said disapprovingly. "Well, I'll be going now." She walked past Robin intentionally brushing his shoulder. "Bye."

Robin gulped down his drink in a single gulp, placed it on a tray, and grabbed a new one. "God I needed that."

Raven laughed openly. "You're hilarious," she said in a monotone voice. "So, who was that anyway?"

"My ex-girlfriend. I met her before the Titans were formed. Ever since we broke up she's been hounding me like crazy."

"I can tell."

Robin saw Bruce waving him over out of the corner of his eye. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time." Raven felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Speedy smiling at her.

"Hey Raven," he said.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Robin's not the only one with connections," he explained. Raven gave him a questioning look. "Green Arrow's a friend of Batman." (A/N: Speedy is the sidekick of Green Arrow who is a member of Justice League Unlimited...don't ask how I know that.)

"Oh. Is he here too?"

"Yeah. So, what are _you _doing here?"

"I'm staying with 'Richard' for the holidays."

"I **knew** you two liked each other," he teased.

"It's not like that," Raven said, defensively.

"Ha! Riiiiight," Speedy replied. "Speaking of him, where is he?"

"Behind you," Raven said. Speedy turned. Robin gave him a smirk and they ceremoniously preformed a quirky hand shake that only guys could come up with. Raven decided not to ask.

"Roy! How've you been?" Robin asked. Raven raised an eyebrow. Speedy's real name was Roy?

"Not much. Just giving Raven a hard time about her staying with you. Have you noticed that SHE doesn't have to use an alias, but we do?" Raven rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Oh well, can't change it now I guess." Robin replied. A man with blonde hair walked up behind Speedy.

"Ready to go?" he asked, placing a hand on Speedy's shoulder. Speedy nodded.

"See ya." He said and followed the Green Arrow out the door, but not before giving Raven a quick wink.

Robin turned his attention back to Raven. "You wanna get out of here?"

"I thought we were obligated to go." Raven said, questioningly.

"We're obligated to go, but I never said anything about saying." Robin said with a sly look on his face. "Besides, Catherine will be watching me like a hawk now."

Robin grabbed Raven's and pulled her though the crowd of people. Raven blushed at his touch. He led her to the back of the room and pushed her though a door. Raven looked out across a lake as Robin closed the door behind her.

"Like it?" he asked. Raven nodded. The moon had fully risen by now and was reflected by the surface of the lake. A slight breeze was blowing and she closed her eyes as the wind played with her hair and caressed her face.

Robin watched her. She acted differently when she was away from Titans Tower. She seemed calmer, and he could feel himself begin to fall in love with her. He smiled at himself. 'Well, let's see where this goes.'

Raven vigorously rubbed her arms trying to warm them. Gotham was colder that Jump City in the winter and snow was expected to fall by the end of the week. The empath felt something wrap around her shoulders. She opened her eyes and saw Robin's tuxedo jacket covering her arms. She slipped her arms in the sleeves and turned to Robin.

"Thanks," she said quietly and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Welcome."

Raven slowly turned her gaze back to the lake.

Robin took a deep breath and put an arm around her shoulders. To his surprise Raven laid her head on his chest. He smiled to himself. 'Life is good.'

* * *

After the lake they'd taken a walk to nowhere in particular, talking about random things. By midnight, Raven had dozed off sitting under a tree in mid-sentence. Robin carried her up to her room and put a quilt over her, deciding to get his jacket back in the morning. Maybe, just maybe, a romance would bloom before their return to the tower...

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Whew. That was a long one. Hope y'all enjoyed it! XOXO-way2beme-XOXO 


	3. First Snow

Special award for CloudsHalo for longest review I've ever received. Also, someone asked me how I knew Speedy was Green Arrows sidekick. It's because I surf the net...A LOT. I knew his alias thanks to Raven A. Star. Now, on to the story.

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Robin lay staring at his ceiling. The radio was blaring heavy metal and he was counting down the seconds until Bruce yelled through the door to turn it down. 

'3...2...1...'

"ROBIN IF YOU DON'T TURN DOWN THE MUSIC I SWEAR I'LL THROW THAT STEREO OUT THE WINDOW ALONG WITH YOU!!!"

Robin chuckled and turned down the volume. It wasn't that he enjoyed making Bruce angry, but it took his mind off everything. 'I really should get a better hobby than this. Tennis maybe?' He looked out the window and a snowflake floated past the window. He jumped up of his bed and got a closer look. Snow was slowly covering the ground like a soft blanket. The lake was completely frozen over and ready to be used for ice sports. 'Maybe I can take Raven out there one day.'

---

Raven rolled over and groaned into her pillow. She could feel the dress's fabric tickle her ankle. She sat up and looked around. The black tuxedo jacket she was wearing caught her eye and she back-tracked through the previous events. 'The lake. He took me to the lake and put his jacket on me. What happened next? We talked and then I...I guess I fell asleep. He must've brought me back here.'

She looked around the room once more and saw snow falling onto her balcony. She stood up and gently slipped off the dress and pulled on jeans, a red top and her favorite snow boots. They resembled Uggs and Starfire had forced her to by them on a trip to the "Mall of Shopping". She pulled Robin's tux jacket back on and started to undo the lock on the balcony door.

'This jacket smells like him,' she thought and smiled to herself. 'Maybe I don't need to return it just yet.'

---

Robin glanced at his clock. He'd heard Raven get up through the wall and guessed she might be on her balcony about now. 'I need to talk to Bruce about the walls. They're too thin; you can hear everything without even trying.' He jumped off his bed and cautiously opened the doors to his own balcony. Sure enough, there was Raven, standing in the cold surveying the snowfall.

'She's still wearing my jacket, but she's changed clothes. Does that mean she put it on on purpose?' He smiled giddily to himself. 'Maybe I mean something to her after all.'

"We've got to stop meeting like this," he stated. Raven didn't turn but instead kept looking out at the now frozen lake.

"I don't mind," she replied. "I like talking with you. It's...nice." She finally turned her face towards him.

"Really?" he asked. Careful to close the doors behind him so as not to let in the cold.

"Yeah," she answered.

"I see you're wearing my jacket," Robin observed. He heard Raven sigh.

'Great, I suppose he'll be wanting his jacket back now. ' "Do you want it back?"

'This is your chance Rob. Don't screw it up.' He thought to himself. "If you want to keep it it's yours. Why? Does it REMIND you of me?" he teased. Raven blushed. "Thought so. Anyway, do you...want to go anywhere?"

"Where?"

"It doesn't matter."

"We could go into the city...take a walk," she turned to Robin. "Do you...want to?"

"I'd love to." He smiled and slipped through his door, pausing only to tell her to meet him in the lobby fifteen minuets.

She stared after him and closed her eyes. Her emotions were struggling to get the best of her. Love especially. 'No,' she scolded herself. 'Don't loose control. You don't want to blow up Wayne Manor do you?' Her emotions agreed that losing Wayne Manor would be quite a tragedy.

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Sorry this chapter was kinda short. I'll try to make them longer from now on. XOXO-Way2beme-XOXO 


	4. First Kiss

Hey y'all. Sorry for the uneventful chapter last time. Um…sorry, I guess? Anyway, let's get to the story. Oh, and thanks to blaze-firestorm for Cy's background. Forever and For Always fully belongs to Shania Twian. BUT, if I could I would adopt it as my own. There's gonna be fluff in this chapter. Yay fluff!!!!

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Robin glanced over to Raven's end of the car. After meeting in the lobby they'd piled into Bruce's limo. Raven had kept Robins jacket, to his surprise. He'd expected her to be embarrassed by his "remind you of me" comment. Hmm…Maybe it was time to kick it up a notch. (A/N: Ugh, that sounds so corny! Please forgive!) He gently slid his hand across the backseat. 'Here goes nothing.'

Raven felt something brush her thigh. She flicked her eyes down discreetly to see Robin's hand on her leg. She glanced at his face but it was turned away, looking out the window. She laid her own hand on his and tipped her hand back against the head rest, smiling slightly. Out her window she could see a vast array of sights. Gotham reminded her of Jump City. Some women were juggling grocery bags and toddlers while others were talking on cellphones or carrying shopping bags. Couples held each other close, laughing and enjoying each other. Friends joked with each other and the loners took in the silence of their minds. It reminded her of the view from her window in the Tower.

The limo lurched to a stop and, to Raven's dismay, removed his hand from her leg. She slipped out the other door and smiled at him over the roof of the car. He smiled back.

"Thanks for the ride, Alfred," he said to the man at the steering wheel.

"Anytime Master Richard. What time would you like me to return for you?"

Robin glanced at Raven for a split second then replied "We'll walk home."

"If you insist."

The limo sped off leaving a small cloud of dust behind it.

"Wanna go to the park?" asked Raven in a monotone voice.

"Sure," Robin replied.

Gotham City Park was similar to the average park in any town: a small lake near the center, walk ways, benches and plenty of room for picnics. Raven and Robin went to the lake first and fed the ducks. Robin lay back onto the snow coated grass and put his hands behind his head, staring at the sky.

"Hey Raven, have you ever woken up one morning and realized something about yourself you didn't know before? Like…you like someone and flirt with them and all but you don't know how to actually tell them how you feel?" he asked as she tossed another handful of bread crumbs into the crystalline water. Raven looked thoughtful for a moment. Of course she had, but how was she to tell Robin that HE was the one she felt that way about.

"Yup. Happened very recently in fact," she replied.

Robin raised a questioning eyebrow. "Really."

"Really."

"So, are you gonna tell him?" he interrogated.

"Well, some say actions speak louder than words," she stated. And with that she leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss.

_In your arms,  
_

_I can still feel the way you want me when you hold me,_

_I can still hear the words you whispered when you told me,_

_I could stay right here forever in you arms,_

She put an arm around his shoulders and placed a hand on his cheek. Robin ran his hand through her hair and rested it on the back on her neck.

_And there ain't no way, I'm lettin' you go now,_

_And there ain't no way, And there ain't no how,_

_Never see that day,_

_Cause I'm keepin' you forever and for always,_

_We will be together all of our days,_

_Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face,_

_Always,_

After a few moments they broke away and looked into each other eyes.

Robin smiled. "Actions really do speak louder then words."

"I guess so," she agreed.

They spent the rest of the day with each other. He showed her the sights of Gotham, and she told him about her past while he listened intently to every word. At sunset they found themselves back at the park.

The two held each other as they watched the sunset on Gotham. Raven sighed and laid her head on Robin's shoulder. He tightened his arm around her as the sun's final rays shone over the horizon. He he'd said before, life was good.

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It's not the last chapter okay? Now that we've got the romance, we need the complications! More short chapters. I actually wrote this one a week ago, but never posted it. Stupid blonde moments!!!! Anyway, R&R!


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